(And Jesus said) …Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. ~ St. Matthew 28:20
Tag: clinging to God
My God, My Confidence
Featured Image shared by Anastasia
Is not your reverence your confidence? And the integrity of your ways your hope? ~ Job 4:6
“A visible thought for today these many years later… from a beautiful card, celebrating my friend’s high school graduation in 1963. The sentiment on the back of the card reads, My God, my Confidence. The girl whose graduation this card announced attended a program sponsored by the saintly Little Sisters of the Poor in Los Angeles, for high school girls interested in joining their Community. Her name was Cecilia and her elder sister was and still is a Little Sister of the Poor. Cecilia died a few years ago. Eternal Memory to her who introduced me to the Little Sisters at their Home For the Aged where we volunteered in high school. Now, I’m the “Aged” referenced in the title!” ~ Anastasia
Memory Eternal Julia and family on the day of Julia’s interment. Julia was a wonderful Sister in Christ, and an amazing alto singer in the church choir, whose warm, rich voice reminded me of a heavenly bird’s. In the past, she raised finches, and I can remember them singing joyfully in her home as they flitted about in their large cages by the bright window. Julia was an accomplished, professional artist and art teacher, who loved to draw and paint many things, including all kinds of birds. Anastasia’s card with the sparrow being held in God’s Hands reminded me of Julia, her love for birds, and that right now, God has Julia’s gentle soul in His Loving Hands.
Even the sparrow has found a home… ~ Psalm 84:3
Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. ~ St. Matthew 10:31
Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. ~ St. Luke 12:6-7
The feature image of the 1963 Graduation Card, reminds me of hope. I pray that some day after completing this School of Life, we may all take flight and Graduate in Heaven! Amen!
We Need Two Wings to Fly!
Parish Mosaic in Progress: The Dormition of the Theotokos
Prayer is one wing, faith the other, that lifts us heavenward. With only one wing no one can fly: prayer without faith is as meaningless as faith without prayer. But if your faith is very weak, you can profitably cry: Lord, give me faith! Such a prayer seldom goes unheard. The grain of mustard seed, says the Lord, grows into a great tree. ~ Tito Colliander (Way of the Ascetics)
Who Saves Me From the Tempest
Winter Tempest – Rain and 80+ km Winds at Point No Point, Storm Season – Canada
Who will give me wings like a dove? And I will fly and be at rest. Lo, I have fled afar off and have dwelt in the wilderness. I waited for God that saveth me from faintheartedness and from tempest.
~ Psalm 55:6-8
He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
~ Psalm 91:4
You cry out to Him: Where art Thou, My God? And He answers: I am present, my child, I am always beside you.
~ St. Joseph the Hesychast
Christ is Risen!
Cherry Blossoms fell like tears, and clung to the under-cloth of Holy Friday’s Winding Sheet.
Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and upon those in the tombs, bestowing life! ~ Paschal Tropar
Happy BRIGHT Monday!
…the wood of the Cross hath now put forth flower ~ Ode 3 Katavasia of the Cross
Now all things have been filled with light, both heaven and earth and those beneath the earth; so let all creation sing Christ’s rising, by which it is established. ~ St. John of Damascus, Paschal Canon
Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the Holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless One. We worship Thy Cross, O Christ, and hymn and glorify Thy holy Resurrection, for Thou art our God, and we know none other beside Thee, we call upon Thy name. O come all ye faithful, let us worship Christ’s holy Resurrection; for behold through the Cross, joy hath come to all the world. Ever blessing the Lord, we hymn His Resurrection. For having endured crucifixion, He hath destroyed death by death. ~ 5th Century Matins Hymn
TRULY HE IS RISEN!
Clinging to the Lord
Golden, Lenten Lillies (Daffodils), peep out through the shelter of a neighbour’s fence.
Only the poor in spirit who cling to the Lord by prayer on account of the constant sense of their poverty and need are capable of discovering within themselves the greatness of the name of Jesus. ~ St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov), Bishop of the Caucasus and the Black Sea
May your Lenten Journey be peaceful and fruitful.
Clinging to God
For God, there are no difficult problems and no difficult solutions. To God, everything is simple. He does not use a greater power for the supernatural things and a lesser power for the natural things. He uses the same power for everything. The most important thing for man is to cling to God. ~ St. Paisios of Mt. Athos